More controversy for Penn State’s Board of Trustees as the Trustees take action on a Code of Conduct, along with changes on electing Alumni Trustee Members. Previously, Alumni Representatives to Penn State’s Board of Trustees were voted on directly by Alumni. The new changes are an internal Nominating Committee of Trustees is added to the election process to decide which candidates will appear on the ballot.
Unsurprisingly, two Trustees, Barry Pinchuk and Anthony Lubrano, who are among the most outspoken trustee members, voted against the changes, which includes the Board being able to remove a Trustee speaking out against Board decisions. Benishek took the unusual step of filing a lawsuit against Trustee leadership on claims he’s repeatedly been denied requested financial information, says he was told his request for unreasonable and burdensome and adds: “I have been stripped of Committee assignments, issued a Letter of Censure from the Executive Committee and had my social privileges revoked.”
After Trustee Lubrano did an interview earlier this year, he was admonished by Trustee leadership for not clearing his comments with the University’s Strategic Communications Office.
The new Trustee Code of conduct includes the following: “Negative or critical statements about the Board, the University or its Students, Alumni, Community, Faculty, Staff and other Stakeholders do not serve the University’s interest.”
